Hatch cover



April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR a l GEORGE E. SUDEROW ATTOZEY April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR GEORGE E SUDEROW ATTO EY April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 VENTOR GEORGE E. SUDEROW A O NEY April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW 2,831,449

HATCH CO Filed Nov. 17, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 s 26' 26 F J mmm l I I I I r WW INVENTOR GEORGE E, SUDEROW ATTOr. NEY

April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW 2,

HATCH COVER Filed Nov. 17, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR GEORGE E. SUDEROW ATT NEY April 22, 1958 G. E. SUDEROW HATCH COVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 INVENTOR GEORGE E. SUDEROW isY United States Patent Ofiice 2,831,449 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 HATCH COVER George E. Suderow, New York, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 395,659 (Filed under Rule 4703) and 35 U. S. C. 118) 8 Claims. (Cl. 114-202) This invention relates to hatch covers for ships and more particularly to articulated hatch covers which are hinged to the deck at one end, have wheels at the free end thereof and are adapted to cover a relatively long hatch opening.

The maintenance of a large ship in port is very costly and the time required for loading and unloading must be reduced to a minimum. In the past, it was customary to close cargo hatches with wood or metal planks covered by tarpaulin. Due to the time and labor required for opening and closing of the hatches using planks and tarpaulin, large modern vessels are being equipped with articulated hatch covers which may be opened and closed in a matter of minutes. I

It has heretofore been proposed to utilize a pair of oppositely disposed articulated hatch cover sections hinged at one end to the deck, and provided with wheels at the free ends thereof. Such covers in closed position will bridge the hatchway, and yet, when opened and folded will occupy but little of the deck area. The construction of such hatch covers has provided a number of problems which have not been adequately solved, particularly in covers for tween deck hatches of relatively large length. It has been proposed to use two section covers, each section comprising two pivotally joined panels, whereby each section covers one half the length of the hatch opening. in the open position, each section folds at the center and is retained in a vertical position. Dilficulty is experienced in a cover for a relatively long hatch clue to the limited space between the decks, since the height of the folded sections exceeds the distance between the decks. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to use a plurality of hatch cover sections sideby-side, each section of which is independently handled by rolling that section on its wheels to the end of the hatch whereupon it is turned on end and the sections are vertically stacked at the end of the hatch side-by-side. This type of hatch cover is not as readily handled as the articulated hatch cover heretofore described.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved construction and arrangement of articulated hatch cover to enable an extremely long hatch to be readily uncovered and the hatch cover to be folded compactly together when in the open position and stowed clear of the hatchway between the decks of a ship.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a four-panel hatch cover section that can be opened and closed with ease and stored in a vertical position be tween the decks of a ship.

it is a still further object of the invention to provide a hatch cover for an extremely long tween deck hatch that is flush with the tween deck when in the closed position.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a hatch construction with a novel track arrangement which retains the hatch cover in the closed position without the requirement for locking dogs.

1t is a still further object of the invention to provide a four-panel hatch cover section with a novel wheel arrangement to permit the opening and closing of the hatch :over with case.

it is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel link hinge arrangement for an intermediate joint of a four-panel hatch cover section.

These and other objects are accomplished by the fol- '7 5- invention wherein a coaming flush with the deck is provided with tracks at each side internally of the counting and below the surface thereof. each track having a plurality of cammed surfaces and a two-sectioned articulated hatch cover, one section of which has four panels hinged together, one end panel of the section being hinged to the deck, and a wheel construction at the other end of the section adapted to travel on the rammed tracks, and additional wheel arrangements at intermediate points of the section likewise adapted to travel on the cammed tracks, and hinge arrangements be tween each pair of panels which enable the four paneled section to fold compactly together whereby the height of the folded section is no greater than the length of one of the panels.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l. is a fragmentary plan view of approximately one-half of the hatch shown with the cover in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic elevational section of the hatch showing the cover in the open position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the cover in the open position;

Fig. 4 is fragmentary section of one of the bumpers;

Fig. 5 is an elevational section of the hatch with the cover removed showing the track arrangement;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 66 of Figs. 1 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken along the line 7-7 of Figs. 1 and 5;

Fig. 8 is a crosssection taken along the line 8-8 of Figs. 1 and 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the meeting edges of the hatch cover sections;

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line 1010 of Fig. 6;

Fig. ll is a section taken along the line 1l-11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a section taken along the line 12 Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the linked hinge arrangement; and

Fig. 14 is a section taken along the line 14-14 of Fig. 13.

The general arrangement of the hatch when in closed position is shown in Fig. 1. Although the drawings illustrate a six-panel hatch cover, it should be understood that the invention may well comprise a hatch cover of two sections, each having four panels therein, or a single section cover of four panels, six panels, eight panels or greater. The form of the invention to be described herein is a two-section cover in which one section has two panels and the other four panels, wherein the meeting edge of the two sections is not in the middle of the hatchway. The port section of the cover, identified as P, is a four-panel section including the panels 10, 11, 12 and 13,

whereas the starboard section of the cover is identified as S and includes the panels 14 and 15. The outer panels and are each hinged to the deck by hinges H and H, respectively. Panels 10 and 11 are hinged together by a plurality of hinges 16 permitting the joint to pivot upwardly with the undersides of panels 10 and 11 moving together. Hinge 17 between panels 12 and 13 is of similar construction to hinge 16 and the panels pivot similarly to panels 10 and 11. Hinge 18 between panels 14 and 15 is of similar construction to hinges l6 and 17, permitting a similar pivotal movement of panels 14 and i5.

Linked hinge 19 between panels 11 and 12, to be described hereinafter, is of adilferent construction and pivots downwardly so that the upper surfaces of panels 11 and 12 move toward one another.

As is illustrated in Fig. 3, each of the panels provided with a flat unobstructed upper surface plate 20, a plurality of transverse stiffeners 21 and longitudinal stiffeners 22. The transverse stifieners 21, which are deeper than the longitudinal stiffeners 22, are so arranged that adjacent panels interfit, with the transverse stiifeners of panels 19 and 12 interfitting between the transverse stiffeners of panels 11 and 13, respectively, so that in the folded position, surface plates may be stowed in a vertical position. One of the transverse stiffeners of panels 10 and 12 may each be provided with a bumper 23 on its under surface. Bumper 23. shown in more detail in 4, may be made of a resilient material and is bolted by bolts 2-1 and nuts 25 to the transverse stiffener 21. When in the fully open position. the bumpers 23 come in contact with the longitudinal stiffener 22 of the adjacent panel, acting as a resilient stop therebetween.

Wheels 26. 26 are provided at the outer sides of the free or inner end of panels 13 and 14. The wheels 26, 26 are attached to the underside of the panels as illustrated in Figs. 6, 9 and 10. Wheels 27 are likewise provided on panel 13 at the outer sides of the outer end thereof. The wheels 27 are mounted on the underside of the panel as illustrated in Figs. 7 and ll. Wheels 27 are located slightly inwardly from wheels 26 and at a lower level. as may be noted from a comparison of Figs. 6 and 7. The purpose of this will be disclosed hereafter. A third pair of wheels 28 is mounted on the same section of the cover on the underside of panel 12 at the outer sides of the outer end thereof as per Figs. 8 and 12. Wheels 28 are mounted in the same vertical plane as wheels 26, but in a higher horizontal plane.

A pair of tracks T are mounted internally of the coaming at each side of the hatch. The tracks T are located below the top surface of the coaming so that when in closed position resting on the tracks, the top surface of the hatch cover will be flush with the deck of the ship. Each track T includes a plurality of camrned surfaces, each cammed surface being located at a point corresponding to the location of the wheels when in the closed position. Thus, when the wheels follow down the cammed surfaces, the hatch cover is lowered into closed position with its upper surface flush with the deck.

The track T includes a flat surface 30 adjacent the end of the hatch. a first cammed surface 31 sloping downwardly from the level of surface 30 to the level of a fiat surface 32, and a second cammed surface 33 adjacent to the meeting point of the two hatch covers. The track is divided beginning at point 35 thereon, with outer portion continuing at the height of surface 32, and the inner portion sloping downwardly as cammed surface 34. Wheels 26 being mounted outwardly follow surface 32 at point 35 on the track and continue travelling thereon to the camrned surface 33. Wheels 27, however, being mounted inwardly from wheels 26, as previously described, follow the inner cammed surface 34 beginning at point 35.

Wheel guides 36 are located on the tracks to guide the wheels during their travel across the hatch opening.

The hinges 16, 17 and 18, best shown in Fig. 3, are

conventional intermediate hinges which are mounted on the normal underside of adjacent panels. Thus, when the sections are in closed position, the hinges are not visible from above. The top surface of one of the panels adjacent to these hinges is cut away and a lifting pad 37 is provided with an eyelet therethrough. Shackles at the end of falls may be secured to the lifting pads in the usual manner for raising the sections and buckling at the pivotal joints of the panels, as shown in Fig. 3.

The intermediate hinges 19 are different from those described above and are best illustrated in Figs. 3, 13 and 14. Each panel 11 and 12 is provided with a pair of spaced pads 38, 39 at their adjacent edges. Each pair of pads 38, 39 has an aligned hole 40, 41 drilled therethrough. A link 42 is provided between the pads 38, 39. Holes 40', 41' are drilled through the links in such a position as to be aligned with holes 40, 41 and a bolt 43 extends through the holes 40 in pads 38 and the holes 40' in link 42. A similar bolt 44 extends through the holes 41 in pads 39 and the holes 41' in link 42. The link 42 is arranged with a vertical bearing surface 42' at one side thereof which abuts against the vertical edge of the panel 12. The opposite side of the link 42 is rounded, as shown at 42", and does not contact the panel 11. The linked arrangement described permits the panels 11 and 12 to pivot upwardly about the bolts 43, 44. As the panel 11 is being lifted, the link 42 abuts against panel 12 with its vertical bearing surface 42' and is firmly held in position and strengthened thereby.

In operation, to close the four-panel section of the cover from the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to the solid line position thereof, the wheels 26 travel down the sloped surface 50 at the end of the track and thence along the flat surface 36 of the track and down the cammed surface 31 thereof. At this point, wheels 28 located on panel 12 come into contact with the track and the cover is supported by the two sets of wheels, the wheels 26 travelling on the flat surface 32 and the wheels 28 travelling on the Hat surface 30. By the time wheels 26 have reached the cammed surface 33 and wheels 28 have reached the camrned surface 31, wheels 27 come into contact with the track and being located inwardly from the wheels 26, will follow the inner cammed surface 34. During the final movement of the cover, the three sets of wheels travel respectively down the three sets of cammed surfaces to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, with the upper surfaces of the panels all in a horizontal position flush with the deck.

To open the hatch cover section, shackles are attached to the lifting pads 37 and by raising the falls, the cover is buckled upwardly at the intermediate joint between panels 10 and 11. The three pairs of wheels follow the tracks and the weight of the cover is supported thereby as the intermediate joint between panels 10 and 11 is lifted to its uppermost position. During this period of the opening of the cover, panel 11 is pivoting about bolt 44 of the link hinge and the flat bearing surface 42' of the link is in engagement with the vertical edge of panel 12. The cover is next buckled upwardly at the intermediate joint between panels 12 and 13, and the cover travels on wheels 26, since Wheels 27 and 28 have been lifted from the track, to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The hinge H is set back from the coaming so that there is sufficient space for the four panels, now in vertical position, to be stored completely clear of the hatch opening. The construction of the stiffeners is such that the panel interfits to form two rectangular boxes, the height of which corresponds to the height of one of the panels. As shown in Fig. 2, this height is less than the height between the decks of the ship.

The operation of the two-panel starboard section S has not been described in great detail as it operates in a manner similar to the port section.

The track and wheel arrangement described heretofore is equally applicable to non-flush type hach covers and may be mounted either internally of the coaming, as illustrated herein, or externally thereof.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement extending into said hatch at each side thereof located below said deck and attached to said coaming, said track arrangement including an outer track adjacent to the coaming and an inner track adjacent to said outer track, an articulated hatch cover section, said hatch cover section comprising a plurality of panels, hinges between each adjacent pair of panels by which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinge structure for hinging the outer panel of said section to said deck outside the coaming, a plurality of pairs of wheels mounted on the under side of said panels, two said pair of wheels being mounted on the inner and outer end of said inner panel of said section, the pair of wheels mounted on the inner end of said inner panel being mounted outwardly and in a higher horizontal plane than said pair of wheels mounted on the outer end of said inner panel, said Wheels being adapted to roll on said track arrangement, whereby as the section is moved from an open vertical position to a closed horizontal position covering the hatch said outer track is adapted to guide said outer pair of wheels and said inner track is adapted to guide said inner pair of wheels.

2. In a hatch structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inner and outer tracks include cammed surfaces thereon, each said cammed surface being positioned adjacent to the location of the hatch cover wheels that travel thereon when said hatch cover section is in closed position, whereby said cammed surfaces guide said hatch cover panels downwardly at the end of its travel to the closed position.

3. In a hatch structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein said hatch cover section when in closed horizontal position is flush with said deck and said coaming.

4. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement extending into said hatch at each side thereof located below said deck and attached to said coaming, an articulated hatch cover comprising two cover sections, said sections each having at least two panels therein, hinges between each adjacent pair of panels on which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinged structure for hinging the outer panel of each section to the deck outside the coaming, each hinged assembly being provided with a pair of wheels at its outer edge adapted to roll along said track arrangement, said wheels at the outer edge of each section on the same side of the hatch being located in the same vertical plane, a cammed surface located in said track arrangement at the location of said wheels when the cover is in the closed position, said cammed surface including two oppositely inclined surfaces joined at their lower ends by a short horizontal section of track and each joining the main horizontal track at their upper ends, whereby as the covers are closed, the wheels on the meeting edges of the two sections travel downwardly on said inclined surfaces to seal said hatch cover to said coaming.

5. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement extending into said hatch at each side thereof located below said deck and attached to said coaming, an articulated hatch cover section comprising four panels, hinges between each adjacent pair of panels by which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinged structure for hinging the outermost panel of said section to the deck, a first pair of wheels mounted on the inner ends of the innermost panel of said section, a second pair of wheels mounted on the outer ends of the innermost panel of said section, a third pair of wheels mounted on the outer ends of the panel hinged to said innermost panel, said wheels being adapted to rollon said track arrangement, and three sets of cammed surfaces located on said track arrangement, each said set of cammed surfaces being positioned adjacent to the location of a pair of said hatch cover wheels when said hatch cover section is in closed position, whereby said cammed surfaces guide said hatch cover panels downwardly at the end of its travel to the closed position.

6. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement extending into said hatch at each side thereof, located below said deck and attached to said coaming, an articulated hatch cover section comprising at least four panels, pivots between each adjacent pair of panels by which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinge structure for hinging the outer panel of said section to said deck outside the coaming, a plurality of pairs of wheels mounted on the underside of the two innermost of said panels, said wheels being adapted to roll on said track arrangement, at least one of said pairs of wheels being mounted at the innermost edge of the innermost of said panels, and at least one of said pairs of wheels being located adjacent to one of said pivots, a plurality of cammed surfaces on said track arrangement, each being positioned adjacent to the location of a hatch cover wheel when said hatch cover section is in closed position over the hatch, whereby as the section is moved from an open vertical position adjacent to the hatch to a closed horizontal position covering the hatch, said cammed surfaces guide said hatch cover section downwardly at the end of its travel to the closed position.

7. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement adjacent said coaming, an articulated hatch cover section comprising at least four panels, hinges between each adjacent pair of panels by which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinge structure for hinging the outer panel of said section to said deck outside the coaming, a plurality of pairs of wheels mounted on the under side of the two innermost of said panels, said wheels being adapted to roll on said track arrangement, at least one of said pairs of wheels being mounted at the innermost edge of the innermost of said panels, and at least one of said pairs of wheels being located adjacent to one of said hinges, a plurality of cammed surfaces on said track arrangement, each positioned adjacent to the location of a hatch cover wheel when said hatch cover section is in closed position over the hatch, whereby said cammed surfaces guide said hatch cover section downwardly at the end of its travel to the closed position.

8. In a hatch structure, a deck, a coaming, a track arrangement adjacent said coaming, said track arrangement including an outer track adjacent to said coaming and an inner track adjacent to said outer track, an articulated hatch cover section comprising a plurality of panels, hinges between each adjacent pair of panels by which said panels are pivotally joined edgewise, a hinge structure for hinging the outer panel of said section to said deck outside the coaming, a plurality of pairs of wheels mounted on the underside of said panels, at least one of said pairs of wheels mounted inwardly of said other pairs of wheels, a plurality of cammed surfaces located on said track arrangement, at least one of said cammed surfaces being located on said inner track, each said cammed surface being positioned adjacent to the location of said wheels when said hatch cover section is in closed position, whereby said cammed surfaces on the outer and inner tracks guide said outwardly and inwardly located wheels respectively downwardly at the end of their travel to the closed position, and said outer track permits said outwardly located wheels to pass the cammed surface on said inner track to reach their own cammed surfaces on the outer track.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 158,323 Turner Apr. 9, 1889 13,343 McGray Nov. 23, 1926 5 123,539 Hay Sept. 16, 1941 836,608 Farrell May 10, 1955 1,022,796 Jernstrom Dec. 13, 1955 667,464

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 31, 1921 Holland Aug. 15, 1925 Sweden Dec, 7, 1948 Germany Apr. 15, 1952 France Dec. 17, 1952 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1952 

